We Painted a War Machine

from:

Hana (9) to: Portrait Image of Person Eun-mi

A group of six children stand together outdoors, all wearing military-style uniforms. They are gathered around a vehicle, likely a tank, which is covered in pink paint. Each child holds a paintbrush, with several open cans of pink paint on the tank. The children are smiling and laughing, with some showing patches of paint on their faces and uniforms. In the background, there is a building with a traditional roof, along with a few other children and distant structures. The image has a vintage, sepia-toned finish with visible specks and stains, adding an aged appearance.

Dear Eun-mi,

Hi from Pyongyang!

Today was so much fun—I had to tell you.
A bunch of us kids were handed brushes and cans of pink paint… and we got to paint an old tank!
Can you imagine?

We laughed, we splashed, we got it everywhere.
By the time we were done, the whole thing was pink. Bright, ridiculous pink.

Even the soldiers couldn’t stop laughing.
They said it was the funniest thing they’d seen all week.

I wish you’d been here.
We could’ve painted flowers, or stars, or something just for us.

What are you up to in Chongjin?
Write soon—I miss you.

Your cousin,
Hana

Postcards from Pyongyang

We Painted a War Machine